Pamukhale, Turkey

White lime cascades formed by hot mineral spring water.

Water has "healing powers".

A Roman settlement with hot baths.

We too are playing with the water.

The white lime cascade is formed from hot mineral spring water rich in calcium carbonate.  The Romans settled here

St. Sofia, Instanbul

Emperor Constantine was the first Christian Roman emperor. Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople and St. Sofia was a cathedral. With the city falling into the hands of the Ottoman Turks the cathedral became a mosque. All Christian drawings were covered with plaster. Now the building is a museum and the removal of the plaster brought back fresh images of early Christian paintings. The stained glass panels remained intact following the orders of a sultan.

Saint Sophia a museum now.

Notice both Christian and Islamic decorations.

The largest Cathedral in Europe at one time.

Ceiling decoration.

Angulated to point to Mecca.

The Virgin Mary and Christ previously hidden by plaster.

Grandstand for the Sultan during prayers.

Some of these pillars may have been taken from the temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

An angel.

Christ and Emperor Constantine.

Gerome Valley, Cappadocia

Dinning room of the monks with seats made of rock.

Hundreds of chapels carved into the hillsides date back to 373 AD.

The rock formation is spectacular. There were Greek Orthodox monasteries built into the rocks. These places were excellent sites for religious studies and self reflection.  Unfortunately the churhes with its wall paintings of Christ were defaced. Most of the Christian Greeks were forced to leave Turkey following the imposition of the Greek Turk Transfer of 1923.